Dr. Eric Bender

I think any connection to get people to mental health providers is good.

but people often have not been in therapy before.

So I would say if you're on a Zoom session where you've been Zoomed in because of this program, do you feel comfortable with that person?

What does it feel like?

And if you don't feel comfortable, bring it up with the provider.

That's the other thing I really wanna see happen.

So I think it can be great, but if it doesn't feel right to the person, don't feel like you have to keep doing this therapy.

So use that as a way to get to somebody else.

I hope that people don't go online to get their psych meds.

because while I agree with all those benefits of it, there can be side effects and there's also things to follow up with.

So if you're on certain medications, you might want to check an EKG every now and then, or you might want to check your lipids, blood sugar, things like that.

Are you following up with that?

Is someone who's prescribing this doing that?

I've had a patient tell me he's gotten some meds, a GLP-1 online, and I'll say,

Do you ever talk to that doctor?

Nope.

Do you ever get any follow-up?

Nope.

I'm like, okay.

So I think in psychiatry, no, because medication is a piece of treatment, but there's also a time when it might be appropriate to stop it.